Long Beach, CA.

Dave's art is colorful, surreal, playful, and steeped in music. On this month's volume, he flexes his foundation in comics with panels that cascade outwards as you explore the jacket and its hidden meanings. Do the panel pairings represent reflections? Alternate universes? Movement through time and/or space? Songs? Silence? With a retro color palette and a punk rock attitude, Dave suffuses his scenes and characters with symbolism, psychedelia, and the right amount of mystery.


Beyond comic illustration, Dave Van Patten also specializes in album art, murals, and design. He won a Grammy Award in 2023 for his work with the Grateful Dead, and he has created album and poster artwork for other bands including WAR, Les Claypool, and many more. Other clients include Warner Music Group/Rhino Records, Whole Foods, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Vice, and NPR. He hails from Long Beach, California.